Poinsettia plant--H-183

ABSTRACT

A poinsettia plant of medium size and compact habit which produces very dark red blooms with blue toning and tight centers. The stems are strong and heavy and the foliage is uniquely characterized by an ability to retain its original propagation leaves and resist the burnt edge appearance which is emdemic to other species.

This invention relates to a new species of poinsettia plant which bearsmy code H-183 and which is known botanically as Euphorbia pulcherrima.

This new species is the result of a controlled cross between the seedparent of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,434 and a seedling of the pollen parentwhich is available commercially as Eckespoint C-1.

This new species or cultivar was asexually reproduced from cuttings inmy greenhouses at Sugar Run, Pa. and it has retained its distinctivecharacteristics through successive propagations.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and uniquelyattractive variety of poinsettia plant which is suitable for pot growthproduction and which is characterized by a compact habit, a resistanceto "dark spotting" when watered and a resistance to fade with changes intemperature.

One advantageous feature of this new cultivar is its ability to grow atrelatively cool temperatures of about 60°-62° F. When fully bloomed thiscultivar will retain its flowers for about three months when held attemperatures of about 60° F.

The following characteristics distinguish this new cultivar from itsseed parent, its pollen-parent and other poinsettias in the floricultureindustry:

(1) This new cultivar exhibits a self-branching ability which surpassesthat of the Eckespoint C-1 variety.

(2) A second characteristic is the ability of my new cultivar to retainits foliage for a period longer than that of the Eckespoint C-1 varietyand for at least as long as the variety described by Annette Hagg inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,962.

(3) This new cultivar is an early blooming variety which is grown atabout 60°-62° F. and it produces saleable blooms by about mid-November.The blooms are a dark red with much blue toning and they are veryattractive. They are medium sized with tight centers.

(4) The foliage is deep green with a dark bluish tinge and the leavesare medium size. On single stem plants this foliage is essentially heartshaped but on branched plants the foliage has a somewhat serratedappearance.

(5) A commercially attractive feature of this cultivar is its ability toretain its foliage for extended periods including the originalpropagation leaves. The original leaves not only remain on the plant butthey retain their original appearance and they are not susceptible tothe burnt edge disease which inflicts other varieties.

(6) This new cultivar reproduces easily and the cuttings take root veryrapidly. The rate of growth has a tendency to decline as the lateralshoots increase in number and size but this can be alleviated bypruning.

(7) During propagation there is a tendency for atmospheric moisture tobead up and form water droplets on the foliage to a greater extent thanis seen on other varieties of poinsettia plants. This suggests that thefoliage exudes a waxy film which contributes to its ability to withstandwilting to a greater degree than other varieties.

The accompanying photograph depicts a typical specimen of my newcultivar with colors as true to the original as photographic methodswill allow. The color references in the following descriptioncorresponds to Code Nos. in The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chartexcept when general color terminology is employed in which event thecolors are described by reference to common dictionary definitions.

The following description reports on specimens asexually reproducedunder my diretion at greenhouses in Sugar Run, Pa.

Parentage: Seedling.

Seed parent.--A selected red seedling (H-L1) of U.S. Plant Pat. No.4,434.

Pollen parent.--A selected red seedling of the cultivar Eckespoint C-1variety.

Growth habit: Upright growth of medium size suitable for pot culture.Branching is superior to that of the Eckespoint C-1 variety. The stemsare strong and heavy.

Blooming: An early eight week variety which follows essentially theblooming habit of the cultivar Eckespoint C-1 variety and which issaleable by mid-November.

Temperature: This new poinsettia plant is grown at temperatures of60°-62° F. The plant can be maintained and held indoors for extendedperiods at temperatures of from about 70°-75° F.

Foliage: Medium sized leaves of green and dark blue. In single stemplants the leaves are somewhat heart-shaped but in branched plants theleaves have some serration. The original propagation leaves remain onthe plant and do not become burned along the edges. Foliage retention issuperior to that of the Eckespoint C-1 variety and equal to that of theHegg varieties. During propagation there is a tendency for mist to beadup and remain on the foliage to a greater extent than on othervarieties, a characteristic which is typical of foliage having a waxyfilm. The foliage is hardy and does not wilt readily during propagation.The leaf color on mature leaves is forest green (Code No. 147A) on theupper side and meadow green (Code No. 147B) on the underside. Thepetiole is red (Code No. 53A). The leaves are spaced about the plantwith up to 10 leaves per stem. Fully grown leaves are about 10 cm wideand 16 cm long, the upper side being smooth and the underside having arough texture.

Flowers (cyathia): Vary dark red on both sides with much blue toning.They are generally pointed in shape and borne at various angles to thestem.

Quantity.--The number of blooms per stem range from about 4 to 6. Thestamens are light green; the styles are light green; the pollen a goldenyellow; and the ovaries a light orange.

Texture.--The upperside has a flat texture and the underside has agenerally smooth texture.

Bracts.--The bracts are the size and shap of leaves. A typical fullgrown bract measures about 9 cm in width and 16 cm in length. The coloron the upper side is red (Code No. 53B) and the underside is light red(Code No. 53C). In a typical plant each stem contains up to about 26bracts and a full bloom measures about 14 inches across.

Stems and reproduction: The new wood is dark gray and becomes darkgreenish red as the wood ages. The strong and heavy stems arecharacterized by a bark which is smooth when new and which becomes roughwith aging.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of poinsettia plant substantiallyas illustrated and described and characterized as to novelty by itsupright medium size growth with vigorous self branching and very darkred blooms with blue toning and tight centers; medium size green foliagewith dark bluish tones characterized by an ability to retain its colorwithout a burnt edge appearance; the original propagation leaves remainon the plant and the stems are strong and heavy; uniform rooting with anabundance of cuttings which root rapidly; it has an ability to maintainits beauty and life over extended periods at a temperature in the rangeof 60° to 62° F.